Contraption Cuts the Ribbon
The Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen used a Heath Robinson contraption to cut the ribbon when he opened the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner.
A Very Heath Robinson Birthday
On 31st May 2016 Heath Robinson would have been 144. Artist, humorist and Contraptioneer Extraordinary, he satirized the technical advances and social pretensions of three generations, from the 1890s to the 1940s. To celebrate a birthday blow-out, we are proud to announce that the well-known television presenter and author Adam Hart-Davis will write a new book for us called Very Heath Robinson.
Ablutionary Mystery
We are running a mini-quiz in The Oldie magazine. What is the etymology of ‘crap’, we wanted to know. Curiously, the answer is to be found in The Victorian House Book.
Home for Heath Robinson
We would like to congratulate The William Heath Robinson Trust on passing their fund-raising target of £32,500 on Kickstarter.
The Wonderful World of Heath Robinson
We support The William Heath Robinson Trust in their plan to build a Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner, north London. Their fund-raising campaign on Kickstarter is 93 per cent funded. They need help to get to 100%.
Keeping the Heat in an Old House
A Technical Advice Paper by Denis Meehan
A lot of damage is done to Victorian houses in the name of energy conservation, most frequently by replacing original sash windows with inappropriate double-glazed units. As Denis Meehan explains in his report on Energy Conservation in a Victorian House, changing the windows is one of the last things you need to do.
Sheldrake Press on Pinterest
Our new Pinterest page will help you to explore some of the topics that we specialise in: Victorian restoration, wilderness travel, traditional children’s illustration and quirky design.
We Put the Stock in Stocking
Get a free copy of When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat when you buy The Victorian House Book. This should help fill the stockings and provoke a few cheeky giggles.
Gangsters, Goats and Greek Mythology
What brings a smile to the face of this cigar-toting stranger? Rubber feet, it turns out. Gangster Pete has rubber feet. If this sounds faintly ridiculous, you are at one with the judges of the Ruthless Rhyme competition. Some of the entries, they decided, while not ruthless, were memorable for their oddity or absurdity.
Laugh for Less than a Fiver
To celebrate the solstice and all things summery, head to the Riviera ‘And there upon the sunny sands’ relax with a good old laugh, courtesy of Harry Graham. We guarantee the health benefits of When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat. As luck would have it, it’s 50 per cent off this month.
Political Incorrectness for Father’s Day
If you admit that men should be permitted to be men, at least on one day of the year, we suggest a late lie-in for the head of the household and a politically incorrect gift: a volume of humorous verse by the charmingly callous Harry Graham.
Can You Trump Our Bunting?
We are running a bunting competition to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. All you have to do is take a better bunting picture than ours and post it on our Facebook wall, tweet it to @SheldrakePress or e-mail it to . Add an innovative caption with the word bunting in it, and you’re done!
Red, White and Blue
Our resident poet, Angela Perkins, has written some Ruthless Rhymes to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The first, entitled Royalist vs Republican, is now published on our Blog.
Spiky Plight
The judges in the Ruthless Rhyme Competition were surprised to see illustrations accompanying some of the entries, including one of a man with knitting needles through his head. What could have led him to such a plight? Was this a case of true ruthlessness?
Wild Escapades
In our Wild Escape Competition, Liz Cleere described a trek in the eastern Himalayas to visit a slice of wild India that people rarely see and Helen Moat recounted the magical night she and her young son Jamie spent in the company of glow worms in Britain’s Peak District. Liz Cleere is the winner.
Ruthless Rhyme Competition Result
The judges have announced the 12 poems short-listed in the Ruthless Rhyme competition. All are now published, along with audio readings, profiles of the writers and judges and a selection of rhymes that deserve mention for being creative or ridiculous.
Morbid Resolutions
The runner-up in the Ruthless Rhyme Competition is Rosemary McDougall with her Good Intentions. She scored 20 points, just one behind Angela Perkins with George’s New Year’s Resolution. In third place is Elizabeth Francis with A New Year’s Hobby and a score of 13 points. You can read all three rhymes in our Blog.
A Franglais Dream
The winner of the Ruthless Rhyme Competition is George’s New Year’s Resolution, written by Angela Perkins. George’s dream was to buy a little place in France, but Mavis stood in his way. A coup de something or other was required. To see how George resolved this petit problème, click here.
Ruthless Rhymers at Last Fence
The contestants in our Ruthless Rhyme Competition have reached the last fence. After a process of ruthless elimination, ten judges have reduced a big field down to a short list of 12. Only the finishing post lies ahead.
Sixty-Five Rhymes Written
For the past two months we have been running a competition to find the best short poem in the style of a Ruthless Rhyme, a humorous verse form invented by Harry Graham. By the time the competition closed at midnight GMT on Sunday 4th March, we had received 65 rhymes from nine countries, including Australia, Germany, India, Nigeria, Romania, Spain, France, the UK and the US. The last entry came in at eight minutes to midnight.
Wild Escape Competition
Sheldrake Press, publishers of the Wild Guides, are running a travel writing competition this month. Share one of your wild travel experiences with us for a chance to be published on our web-site and win a set of guides to Italy, Britain and Ireland.
The January Wild Sale
All this month, Sheldrake Press is offering you a 50% discount on Wild Italy.
Brooking Collection Finds Temporary Home
Charles Brooking’s major collection of architectural detail, referred to in our earlier news item, has been written up in The Financial Times, along with this griffin and other illustrations. The collection has now been moved to temporary storage, but is still under threat and needs a permanent home and financial assistance. To read the article in The Financial Times, click here. To find out more about the collection’s immediate needs, please visit their web-site.
Can You Write a Ruthless Rhyme?
Are you a budding writer or a keen poet? Would you like to see your work published on-line? We are running a competition to find the best short poem in the style of a Ruthless Rhyme, a humorous verse form invented by Harry Graham.
Help for the Brooking Collection
Since the age of two, Charles Brooking has been collecting architectural detail. He has amassed 250,000 items of salvage, which have just been moved into temporary storage following the withdrawal of support from the University of Greenwich. The collection urgently needs a new home and funding to preserve it for the future. Can you help? For more on this unique archive, click here.
Weft and Warp
Among our Christmas Gift Ideas are a pashmina shawl from Global Nomadic Carpets, noted for their hand-made Kashmiri carpets.
Presents for Gardeners
If you’re looking for a present for an avid gardener, visit our Twitter page to see the latest of our Christmas Gift Ideas.
Our Christmas Gift to You
This month, Sheldrake Press is offering you a 50% discount on The Victorian House Book.
Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932)
On this day in 1843, the garden designer Gertrude Jekyll was born in London. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and America, and is particularly noted for her collaboration with the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Her design style employed cottage-garden motifs to make her meticulous arrangements of plants appear effortless and uncontrived. Notable examples of her work are Vann Hambledon in Godalming, Surrey, Glebe House in Connecticut, USA, and Les Bois de Moutiers, France.
Seven Billionth Human Born
Congratulations to all those special seven-billionth babies out there! To mark the occasion, we are giving our readers a 45% discount on The Kate Greenaway Baby Book, a baby journal for the first five years, and The Kate Greenaway First Year Baby Book. Simply write to us at to get a copy.
Free Downloads
The following are now available as downloads:
Glossary of Architectural Terms
The numerous terms used in The Victorian House Book are defined, with illustrations.
Download
Energy Conservation
Denis Meehan, Director of Ecological Heating Ltd, explains how to reduce heat loss in a Victorian house while retaining the architectural integrity of the building.
Download
Victorian House Suppliers
The editors of The Victorian House Book have compiled this list of more than 60 suppliers of goods and services appropriate to a house of this period, with profiles and pictures.
Download
When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat
In this excerpt are four sample poems from When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat, an anthology of the humorous verse of Harry Graham, inventor of Ruthless Rhymes. Three are Ruthless Rhymes, Including Grandmama, the baby in the Frigidaire and poor Billy, and you also have the much longer epic of The Bath, all with illustrations.
Download
Twelve New Ruthless Rhymes
These humorous verses were written for the Ruthless Rhyme competition in January and February 2012 and placed on the short list by the panel of judges named below. Included are the winning poem by Angela Perkins and the two runners-up by Rosemary McDougall and Elizabeth Francis. The other rhymes were written by Delia Chilom, Yasir Hayat, Diane Jackman, Katherine Lavender, Gwen de Mel and Elizabeth Sarah Pearl.
Download
Ruthless Rhyme Competition Judges
The ten judges of the Ruthless Rhyme competition included past and present staff of Sheldrake Press, chaired by Simon Rigge, and four external moderators including the poet Charles Boyle, the historian Fergus Fleming, the publisher David Jefferis and the editor Mike Brown.
Download
Ruthless Rhyme Competition – Mentioned for Creativity
Many of the poems submitted in the competition were not strictly Ruthless Rhymes, as defined in the competition rules, but were thought worthy of mention for their intrinsic quality as verse or the fact that they were accompanied by rather good line drawings.
Download
Ruthless Rhyme Competition – Mentioned for Ridiculousness
Among the poems submitted in the competition, but adjudged not ruthless, were some which took the biscuit for their oddity or absurdity.
Download
Free Samples
We will shortly make available extensive excerpts from all our books in order to give you a better idea of their content. Initially, we will be offering samples from:
Wild Italy
Wild Britain
The Victorian House Book
Plans for London Bridge Station
Network Rail have unveiled their plans for the redevelopment of London Bridge station. The aim of the new design, by the architectural firm Grimshaw, is to make it easier for passengers to enter and exit, but the scheme has drawn controversy due to the proposed demolition of the buildings at 64-84 Tooley Street.
The former South Eastern Railway Offices at 64-84 Tooley Street were built between 1897 and 1900 by the architects Charles Barry and Son. Charles Barry Sr created the Gothic extravaganza of the Houses of Parliament. This is the only surviving commercial building by his son, and it is an important part of the London Bridge conservation area. Do we really want to swap this for Network Rail’s new entrance to London Bridge station (see our Blog)?
The Great Exhibition
Today is the 160th anniversary of the closing of the Great Exhibition. In the five months since it opened, over six million people had visited and viewed the 100,000 objects on display, including exhibits from France, America, Canada, India and Russia. To the surprise of many, the exhibition made a profit of £186,000, most of which was used to create the South Kensington museums. The influence of the Great Exhibition on interior design is examined in The Victorian House Book.
Membership Area
We publish books not just because they contain a good idea, but often because they advance a cause: for example, better home improvement, environmental conservation or literary revival. To further these aims, we are happy to provide you with additional resources in the form of free downloads, which you can obtain by registering below. The following are now available:
Glossary of Architectural Terms
The numerous terms used in The Victorian House Book are defined, with illustrations. To download this glossary, please register below.
Energy Conservation
Denis Meehan, Director of Ecological Heating Ltd, explains how to reduce heat loss in a Victorian house while retaining the architectural integrity of the building.To download this report, please register below.
Victorian House Suppliers
The editors of The Victorian House Book have compiled this list of more than 60 suppliers of goods and services appropriate to a house of this period, with profiles and pictures.To download this resource, please register below.
When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat
In this excerpt are four sample poems from When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat, an anthology of the humorous verse of Harry Graham, inventor of Ruthless Rhymes. Three are Ruthless Rhymes, including Grandmama, the baby in the Frigidaire and poor Billy, and you also have the much longer epic of The Bath, all with illustrations. To download this sample, please register below.
Twelve New Ruthless Rhymes
These humorous verses were written for the Ruthless Rhyme competition in January and February 2012 and placed on the short list by the panel of judges named below. Included are the winning poem by Angela Perkins and the two runners-up by Rosemary McDougall and Elizabeth Francis. The other rhymes were written by Delia Chilom, Yasir Hayat, Diane Jackman, Katherine Lavender, Gwen de Mel and Elizabeth Sarah Pearl. To download the short list, please register below.
Ruthless Rhyme Competition Judges
The ten judges of the Ruthless Rhyme competition included past and present staff of Sheldrake Press, chaired by Simon Rigge, and four external moderators including the poet Charles Boyle, the historian Fergus Fleming, the publisher David Jefferis and the editor Mike Brown. To find out more, please register below.
Ruthless Rhyme Competition – Mentioned for Creativity
Many of the poems submitted in the competition were not strictly Ruthless Rhymes, as defined in the competition rules, but were thought worthy of mention for their intrinsic quality as verse or the fact that they were accompanied by rather good line drawings. To read them, please register below.
Ruthless Rhyme Competition – Mentioned for Ridiculousness
Among the poems submitted in the competition, but adjudged not ruthless, were some which took the biscuit for their oddity or absurdity. To read them, please register below.
Free Samples
We will shortly make available extensive excerpts from all our books in order to give you a better idea of their content. Initially, we will be offering samples from:
Wild Italy
Wild Britain
The Victorian House Book
Register now for a free download
Already a member? Sign in
Augustus Pugin (1812-1852)
On this day in 1852, the architect Augustus Pugin died at his home in Ramsgate, Kent. His most famous project was his work with Sir Charles Barry on the Palace of Westminster after the old building had been destroyed by fire in 1834. Pugin was responsible for the design of the interior and some of the exterior details. His contribution to architecture and interior design is covered extensively in The Victorian House Book, from which this detail in the Palace of Westminster is taken.
More Articles…
Architectural Propriety · Edward Burne-Jones · Joseph Paxton · Great Exhibition · St Pancras Hotel
50th Home Decoration Supplier
Wilsons Antiques, based in West Sussex, is the 50th company to be added to the Victorian House Decoration section on our Links page. Over the past few months, this resource has grown steadily, and now profiles a wide selection of companies providing goods and services useful for the renovation of period houses.
Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898)
The Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones was born 178 years ago today. Inspired by the artists of the Italian Renaissance, his paintings depict graceful figures in meticulously detailed medieval settings and are often on mythological or religious subjects. His interest in medieval art can also be seen in the stained glass and tapestry designs he produced for Morris & Co. This example is taken from The Victorian House Book by Robin Guild.
Should Architecture Be Attractive?
In our Architectural Mini-Quiz, launched on 23rd August, we asked you to say which of these three buildings you preferred: (from left) A, B or C. We can now report that 71% of respondents chose A, 20% B and 9% C. There is a lesson here.
Mini-Quiz Results
We asked you to say which of these three buildings you preferred: (from left) A, B or C. We can now report that 71% of respondents chose A, 20% B and 9% C. There is a lesson here. To read more, please turn to our Blog.
Architectural Mini-Quiz
Here are three buildings in the seaside town of Moneglia in Liguria, northern Italy. Which do you prefer: (from left) A, B or C? We will explain the purpose of the quiz as soon as we have the results at the end of this week. Please express your preference by clicking here.
History of Artificial Stone
The invention of Coade stone in 1769 allowed architects to add more ornamentation to buildings than had previously been possible. Coade stone mimicked natural stone but was cheaper and longer lasting. The history of artificial stone, including Coade stone, is chronicled in a book by Simon Scott, director of Haddonstone Ltd. His company, just added to our Victorian House Decoration page, produces its own variety of artificial stone.
Simply Mouldings
In the 19th century, plasterwork such as cornices and dado rails played both a decorative and practical role. Dado rails, for example, prevented walls from being knocked by furniture, but also added visual interest because contrasting colours could be used above and below. If you wish to add or replace decorative plasterwork in your house, Simply Mouldings can make and install many features, including dado rails and ceiling roses. Their contact details are now available on our Victorian House Decoration page.
Home Decoration Resource
Our list of recommended suppliers to the Victorian house renovation market has risen to 40, each with a profile describing the goods and services on offer. Take a look at our Victorian House Decoration Links.
Sir Joseph Paxton (1801-1865)
Today is the 210th anniversary of the birth of Sir Joseph Paxton, who designed the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The building was modelled on a conservatory he had created at Chatsworth to house the giant Victoria amazonica water lily. The plant’s vein structure is said to have been the inspiration for his design. There is a chapter on garden design, including conservatories, in The Victorian House Book. Paxton’s railway work is covered in The Railway Heritage of Britain.
Bespoke Front Doors
‘However charming the gate or imposing the porch, it is the entrance door which captures the eye of the visitor as he waits to be admitted’ (Robin Guild, The Victorian House Book). Impress your visitors with a replica Georgian or Victorian timber door made by GBS Joinery, whose details are now available on our Links page under the Victorian House Decoration section. They offer a bespoke service, making and fitting doors and windows for residential and commercial properties.
Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)
On this day in 1870, the Anglo-French writer Hilaire Belloc was born in La Celle-Saint-Cloud, France. Although he wrote numerous works of history and biography, he is best remembered for his macabre humorous verse, such as ‘Matilda’. To find an equally naughty Matilda, go to When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat.
Top Table at St Pancras
The great days of railway luxury are returning. Today Top Table have a special offer on the St Pancras Grand, ‘a stylish, romantic destination restaurant’. When was the last time a railway dining room was connected with romance? Brief Encounter? Early next year, the restored King’s Cross station will be unveiled, offering more 19th-century splendour. For a snapshot of the work in progress, see our Blog.
Home Fires
The Victorians placed great importance on the fireplace as ‘the cornerstone of domestic comfort’ (Robin Guild, The Victorian House Book). If you would like to bring some authentic Victorian character into your home, Nostalgia UK Ltd supplies antique fireplaces in wood, stone, slate, cast iron and marble. We have just given them a link on our Links page under the category of ‘Victorian House Decoration’. They have a stock of more than 2,500 fireplaces, including classical, Gothic, Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau designs. Visitors to their web-site can take a virtual tour of their showrooms and warehouses.
Browsers Bookshop and Café
The Victorian House Book is now available at the Browsers Bookshop and Café, in the picturesque town of Woodbridge in Suffolk. This is an environment where visitors can browse at their leisure, with tea, coffee and cakes available if the mood takes them. Recipes for all the cakes can be found in the cookery books on the shelves. There is a children’s branch of Browsers further down the road.
Scott of St Pancras
Today is the bicentenary of the birth of Sir George Gilbert Scott, architect of the Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras, re-opened this year and featured today as a Google Doodle.
Sir George Gilbert Scott is perhaps best known as the architect of the Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens and the Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras station. The hotel re-opened on 5th May 2011, with many of its original features restored. This is an achievement we could only dream of when we featured the hotel in The Railway Heritage of Britain in 1983. If anyone is still unconvinced of Scott’s standing as an architect, may we suggest a walk up his grand staircase at St Pancras. There is more on this subject in our Blog, and you can see an album of 21 photographs on our Facebook page.
E. A. Higginson, Staircase Makers
When so many people are doing loft conversions or digging out their basements, there is a frequent need for new flights of stairs. To ensure a seamless connection between old and new, you need to be able to copy your existing staircase accurately. This is just the sort of job that E. A. Higginson can do. Their contact details are now available on our Victorian House Decoration page.
Star-Gazing Frog
In Japan, frogs were thought to bring good fortune, allowing money to return to a person (the Japanese word for ‘frog’ is the same as ‘to return’). This little frog certainly looks as if he might have special powers, as he gazes up at the starry sky. This is our favourite design by The London Stained Glass Company. You can see more designs by visiting their web-site, which can be reached from Victorian House Decoration in Links.
London Stained Glass
There can be no denying the importance the Victorians placed on first impressions, and with grandeur in mind they turned the front entrances of their houses into showcases of architectural detail and decorative art, in which stained glass was ever-present. If yours is missing, and you want to commission a new design, have a look at Judi Stark’s portfolio, now available on our Victorian House Decoration page.
Free Download Available Now
The Victorian House Book by downloading an Extended Contents List, now available at the end of the standard Contents list on the book information page.
Original Architectural Antiques
We have added Original Architectural Antiques to our Links section. They supply oak beams, antique doors and door surrounds, new and old oak flooring, railings, chandeliers and limestone garden ornaments.
Chapel House Fireplaces
We have given a link in our web-site to Chapel House Fireplaces, a family business in West Yorkshire that specializes in the restoration and sale of good-quality antique fireplaces.
Amdega Collapse
Sadly, we have removed the link we gave in our web-site to Amdega Ltd, the world’s oldest conservatory makers. They have gone into Administration after trading for 137 years. You can read the story here.
See all news items
Mr Jones of North London
We have just added a link to Mr Jones of Muswell Hill, makers of curtains, blinds and traditional upholstery. After more than 25 years, they have built up an in-depth knowledge of their subject and amassed a stock of designer fabrics and wallpapers which they claim is the largest in North London. Do a one-stop shop with them, they say, and you will save yourself many frustrating hours of traipsing around.
Stung to Death by Savage Bees
For your entertainment, we have just posted sample couplets by Harry Graham in our Preview of When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat. Whether your subject is dining, dancing, motoring, bathing or bee-keeping, we believe you will find something here to trigger your schadenfreude. Try this:
When Mrs Gorm (Aunt Eloise)
Was stung to death by savage bees,
Her husband (Prebendary Gorm)
Put on his veil, and took the swarm.
He’s publishing a book, next May,
On “How to Make Bee-keeping Pay.”
Mother’s Day Competition Winners
This week five mothers or mothers-to-be have won copies of The Kate Greenaway Baby Book through KiddieBase, the on-line retailer. They are Kelly Brett, Wendy Stanger, Danielle Baker, Abigail Bishop and Samantha Ripley.
See all news items
Mother’s Day Competition
This week five copies of The Kate Greenaway Baby Book can be won through KiddieBase, the on-line retailer. To win one of five prize bundles, including gift vouchers, hampers, jewellery and our Baby Book, KiddieBase invite you to say what being a mother means to you or submit your favourite quotation about motherhood.
The Well-Known Mr Crapper
We have given a link to Thomas Crapper, who gave their name to an inglorious noun and verb. They are still trading on it, producing hand-made replicas of their firm’s products from the late-Victorian and Edwardian periods. As you would expect, they do loos and W. C. seats, but they can also fit you out with baths, basins, taps and bathroom accessories which they claim are ‘ultra-authentic’ and not the ‘vaguely Victorian’ sanitary ware that is generally available. Lucinda Lambton and Adam Hart-Davis, among others, have written glowing reviews of their period detail and thunderous flush!
Praise for Baby Book
Sue Woodford-Hollick says of The Kate Greenaway Baby Book: ‘The cover is stunning and its simplicity makes it very powerful indeed.’ High praise, coming from the former Chair of the London Arts Council.
Gifts for a Merrier Christmas
With every purchase of our beautifully presented hardback, The Victorian House Book by Robin Guild, get a free copy of the hilarious When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat by Harry Graham. To redeem this offer, simply enter the code WEB1210 at the check-out. Free UK P+P.
Baby Book Published
The new edition of The Kate Greenaway Baby Book has arrived. With a freshly designed cover by the award-winning artist Ting-Chung Cheng, the book combines traditional childhood images with a clean modern style. It has sections for parents to fill in with details of their child’s general progress, as well as important information such as vaccinations and illnesses. All of this is accompanied by beautiful images from one of the first book illustrators to have her work published in colour, and whose ability to capture the innocence of childhood won her lasting popularity. It provides an ideal gift for new and expectant mothers.
Celebrate Our Launch
To celebrate the launch of our new web-site, now live, we are offering 30% off two of our most popular titles, The Victorian House Book by Robin Guild and When Grandmama Fell Off The Boat by Harry Graham. To obtain these discounts, simply enter the promotional code WEB1110 at the check-out.